Search Engine Watch

Over In NYC: Silicon Valley Cavorts

We're at the AlwaysOn Media conference. If we have to see one more company put up a slide that shows Publishers, Advertisers and Consumers in a triangle, then we are going to start throwing tomatoes. Only kidding.

This conference showcases the online media world. Companies give short presentations, and it's a terrific way to learn what's going on lately in those three triangle points and more. Watch it live through Wednesday.

In this energetic venue, there are good companies talking to each other off-stage. There are bloggers sitting in positions of honor during the sessions, in their very own blogger bullpen. Everyone's feeling generally pumped up.

The highlight? Bill Cleary did a “man on the street” interview. It was a nice commentary on the current state of self-made videos and blogs. He showed a video that accosted San Franciscans about whether the blogosphere concerned them. Most people out there didn't have a clue but wanted to make nice – and agreed that it was a dire matter.

The meta-message was not to take ourselves too seriously. For a show with lots of new companies and important things to announce, I'm glad this set the tone. We need to laugh at ourselves sometimes, even while letting the world know what we do.